If you're a highly sensitive person (HSP), your nervous system literally picks up more information than the average person about what's going on around you. For this reason, you may be deeply intuitive, empathetic, or even have a 'knowing' about people you meet, situations unfolding around you, or even whether something is right/wrong for you instantaneously. Why? Because highly sensitive persons (HSP's) have heightened sensitivity to their environments and the people within them.
"Highly sensitive people are too often perceived as weaklings or damaged goods. To feel intensely is not a symptom of weakness, it is the trademark of the truly alive and compassionate." - Anthon St. Maarten
That means that right now, if you're based at home, you're likely absorbing the tense, often negative, anxious and stressed energy from others due to emotional rollercoaster of c-19, and wondering why you feel this way - because lets face it, not all of this emotion belongs to you, and you are not alone. In fact, HSP's make up about 15-20% of the population (man and women) according to Dr. Elaine Aron.
Do these questions resonate with you?
Are you easily overwhelmed by such things as bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or sirens nearby?
Do you get rattled when you have a lot to do in a short amount of time?
Do you make a point of avoiding violent movies, news and TV shows?
Do you need to withdraw during busy days, into bed or a darkened room or some other place where you can have privacy and relief from the situation?
Do you make it a high priority to arrange your life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations?
Do you try and avoid situations like concerts, shopping centres, parades or anything with a lot of people or find yourself feeling tired/drained afterwards?
Do you notice or enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, or works of art?
Are you sensitive to environmental pollution? toxins? alcohol? caffeine? spices? sugar?
Do you have a rich and complex inner life?
Are you deeply moved by music? soppy movies? releasing energy work like reiki or yoga?
Do you have low self-esteem and are unsure of where it comes from?
Are you able to feel other people's emotions/pain like it was your own?
Are you always putting other people's needs in front of your own?
Do you know someone around you is feeling down before they have a chance to express it?
When you were a child, did your parents or teachers see you as sensitive or shy?
While not all of these will necessarily resonate with an HSP, you'll find that this check-list will have you reading further to learn more if at least half of them do. As HSP's receive heightened sensory input, you can easily get overloaded by too much stimulation. There's also a great test you can take here that will help you discover more about yourself, your children, loved ones or employees so you can give them the support they need to thrive.
Being an HSP isn't a negative.
While some people hate being labelled, others may find that it gives them the answers and clarity they need to move forward. Kind of like discovering a hidden 'super power', and then learning how to use it. While being 'sensitive' might be looked down upon in some cultures associating it as a weakness, it can actually make you a GREAT communicator; healer; coach; creative; boss; or spiritual/wellness/health entrepreneur as it helps you understand what people around you truly want, and how to give it to them.
Want to know some of the GREAT aspects of being an HSP?
When the setting is right, HSP's can concentrate deeply.
We notice things about people or situations that other's might miss
We are better at noticing mistakes, speed, accuracy, detection of minor differences (e.g. colour shades, subtleties in weather and taste etc.) Likewise, we’re better at noticing errors and avoiding mistakes. This is due to our ability to notice subtleties.
Not all HSP's are introverts; 30% of them are actually extroverts.
We can process material/experiences/emotions at a deeper level: "We relate and compare what we notice to our past experience with other similar things. We process information in what psychologists call “semantic memory,” which is a type of long-term memory that deals with meanings, understandings, and other concept-based knowledge."
We are highly conscientious.
We love a positive outcome, and strive to make it happen: "HSPs react more to emotions, because we process events and information deeply. We especially react to positive emotions like curiosity, anticipation of success, a pleasant desire for something, satisfaction, joy, and contentedness. We figure out more than non-HSPs do how to make good things happen, so we can enjoy those positive emotions. For example, we might plan a really good birthday party."
We can learn languages better, especially when we are using them face to face.
We consider the past and future more when making decisions.
We have strong self-awareness.
We can find joy in experiencing a range of emotions, because it helps us release, restore, learn and truly feel grateful for being alive.
We are more 'right brained'. That means we’re less linear and more creative in a synthesizing way.
We can form deep relationships, and know whether someone is right or wrong for our lives early on.
We can become masters of self-care.
We can find wonder in the simplest things, often created in nature like rainbows, sunsets/sunrises (which may move us to tears!), a perfectly formed shell, watching the ocean, or someone doing something for us that shows they care.
We are often more soulful and spiritual, because we are more concerned about the fate of humanity. We think big, and deep. We think about the collective future of the world and everyone in it. We have so many complexities within our minds, that we understand there is not always just black or white, and with that, we can frequently deep dive into the deeper meaning of life, like asking "why am I here?", "what is my purpose?" or "what value do I add to the world around me?"
We think about how we think more, and use it to make better decisions in the future.
We have high levels of empathy, and can be deeply moved by other people's emotions.
We have the potential to be great leaders.
We have fine motor skills and can excel at things like drawing, playing musical instruments, sculpting, sewing... and are better at holding still too.
We are often great with animals.
Ready for another super-power? We are able to learn something new without being aware that we have learned, or how the hell it arrived within our mind because we've picked it up the information in a semiconscious and unconscious way. We may suddenly just “know” the answer to a problem, without knowing how we know, meaning that our deep intuition may seem like a “sixth sense.”
You may have psychic or healing abilities that you haven't yet tapped into (sometimes these people are actually even called 'sensitives'). But more on that below...
As an HSP, it is important to become aware of your situation so you can learn to not just how to survive, but how to thrive. In this fast-paced world of over-stimulation and 'busy-ness', you need to learn to make choices that are healthy for you, even if others might not understand or relate. So, I am currently putting together a list of 'self protection' practices for my next blog.
For now though, I'm giving you the added bonus of doing a deep dive into HSP's and how that can raise your chances of having healing or psychic ability. So if this is you, read on for an article from The Aura's Expert!
Highly Sensitive Persons and Extra Sensory Perception
"As a highly sensitive person you may also have psychic or healing abilities, though you may not yet recognize it. In fact, sometimes people with psychic and healing abilities are referred to as sensitives. Like highly sensitive persons, people with psychic abilities also pick up more information than the average person. But people with psychic ability are said to have extra sensory perception (ESP). People with extra sensory perception receive information beyond the normal 5 senses. For example, rather than just feeling when things touch their skin, they may at times feel others' emotions. Instead of just seeing with their physical eyes, they may at times see things like spiritual energy and auras. They may also be able to hear psychic communication that cannot be heard by the physical ear."
Highly Sensitive Persons with Undeveloped Abilities "In our modern scientific and materialistic culture, we are not taught about psychic abilities. In general, we are ignorant about these phenomena. As a result, many people have some psychic ability but don't even realize it. You too may have an aptitude, but shut it down because you don't know how to process the information...
If you were to begin to be aware of something extra sensory, you would probably not even allow yourself to register the information. If you did allow the information to enter your consciousness, you would probably then--like most people--question your sanity. When you habitually invalidate or turn off a part of yourself like this, it eventually just shuts down. It's not gone forever. But it goes dormant and remains undeveloped."
Highly Sensitive Persons and Different Ways of Being Psychic
"There are also many misconceptions about psychic abilities. We tend to think of psychics only as people who foresee the future. Reading probable futures is only one type of psychic ability. Being aware of energy...being intuitive, seeing auras, feeling others' emotions, communicating with spiritual beings, or even some types of dream interpretation...can all be examples of psychic ability. There's a lot more to being psychic than fortune telling.
Another misconception is that you're either psychic, or you're not. Psychic aptitudes are much like other aptitudes. Take for example a musical aptitude...if you have an aptitude for music but never had any musical training...you wouldn't really know what your abilities are. You wouldn't know if you were more suited to singing or song-writing, nor which instrument would suit you best. Your raw potential would be there, it just hasn't had the chance to develop. The same is true of psychic aptitudes and abilities. If you never had any psychic training, you wouldn't really know what you're capable of, nor what your strengths are."
Connection between Highly Sensitive Persons and Psychic Sensitivity... "Physical and psychic sensitivity often go hand in hand, or overlap to some degree. As a sensitive, it is useful to know that psychic energy can cause any number of physical symptoms including fatigue, headaches, back problems, stomach issues, and even serious long term diseases. Expressions like, "he's being a pain in the back", "she's toxic" and "you're giving me a headache" reflect our intuitive understanding that there is a connection between psychic energy and physical symptoms.
As a sensitive, if you get other people's energy coming into your system, it can cause all kinds of problems. You may feel intensely emotional, but with emotions that are not yours. You may feel fatigued by others without knowing why. You may get overloaded in public places because you're picking up too much psychic energy and it's simply overwhelming. If psychic energies are causing you problems and you don't realize it, you won't know how to respond effectively to best manage the situation. Constantly being affected by psychic energies and not realizing it can lead to repeated confusion, invalidation, poor health and worse.
As a sensitive or psychic, it is important to become aware of your unique situation, so you can learn to manage it effectively. When you have a deeper sense of who you really are and your abilities, then you can learn to make choices which are healing for you, even if others might not understand or relate. Rather than feeling like you have a strange problem or there's something wrong with you, you can begin to realize you are differently-abled. Opening to your psychic aptitudes, you can appreciate your high level of sensitivity as a gift that is waiting to be unwrapped..." - written by The Aura's Expert.
Loved what you read? Don't forget to share it with friends or family that may appreciate these insights too.
Until my next blog,
Love & light,
Monique Elouise xx
🌟🌟P.s. last minute Reiki appointments will be available from Wednesday 28 - Friday 30th July 2021, 10:30am - 5:30pm if our lockdown situation changes!🌟🌟
Follow me on Instagram for updates and wellness tips @anahata_reiki_and_wellness
Follow me on Facebook for links and tips on the wellness journey @anahatareikiandwellness
#reiki#reikihealer #lightworker #healer #intruitivehealer #reikilight #reikimelbourne #reikihealermelbourne #melbourne #energyhealer #alternativetherapy #yogateacher #reikihampton #reikitherapy #selfcare #yogiclifestyle #healingtherapy #reikienergy #happy #upbeat #anxiety #lockdown #gethappy #cheerup #smile #anahatareikiandwellness
Sources:
Also, I highly recommend this blog for a deep dive into HSP's: https://highlysensitiverefuge.com/